The 2006-2007 Archive is currently being updated. New dates will be added as they become available.
VegDRI Highlights for January 25th, 2010
Western States
During this time of the year, most areas in the western regions are out of growing season. On the other hand, the recent Pacific storms improved the dry conditions in the western states where seasonal vegetation growth occurs that includes southern California, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico.
Great Plains
Most areas of the western and central United States regions are remained to be out of growing season in this period. The winter-wheat areas of Oklahoma were in near normal condition in this period. The western Gulf of Mexico storm system generated showers and thunderstorms across southern and eastern Texas. Over western Texas, areas which are in-season for this time period of the year in western Texas remained in near normal conditions whereas few areas showed drier conditions.
Midwest
Most areas of the Midwestern United States are out of growing season.
Northeast
Most areas of the Northeastern United States are out of growing season.
Southeast
Because of the western Gulf of Mexico storm system, areas which are in-season in southern Georgia and adjoining northern Florida were in near-normal condition. However, some areas in southern Florida were drier than normal.
The National Drought Mitigation Center produces VegDRI in collaboration with the US Geological Survey's (USGS) Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS), and the High Plains Regional Climate Center (HPRCC), with sponsorship from the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA). Main researchers working on VegDRI are Dr. Brian Wardlow and Dr. Tsegaye Tadesse at the NDMC, and Jesslyn Brown with the USGS, and Dr. Yingxin Gu with ASRC Research and Technology Solutions, contractor for the USGS at EROS.
VegDRI maps are produced every two weeks and provide regional to sub-county scale information about drought's effects on vegetation. In 2006, VegDRI covered seven states in the Northern Great Plains (CO, KS, MT, NE, ND, SD, and WY). It expanded across eight more states in 2007 to cover the rest of the Great Plains (NM, OK, MO, and TX) and parts of the Upper Midwest (IA, IL, MN, and WI). VegDRI expanded to include the western U.S. in 2008 (WA, ID, OR, UT, CA, AZ, NV). In May 2009 VegDRI began depicting the eastern states as well, covering the entire conterminous 48-state area.
The VegDRI calculations integrate satellite-based observations of vegetation conditions, climate data, and other biophysical information such as land cover/land use type, soil characteristics, and ecological setting. The VegDRI maps that are produced deliver continuous geographic coverage over large areas, and have inherently finer spatial detail (1-km2 resolution) than other commonly available drought indicators such as the U.S. Drought Monitor.
VegDRI Highlights for January 25th, 2010
Western States
During this time of the year, most areas in the western regions are out of growing season. On the other hand, the recent Pacific storms improved the dry conditions in the western states where seasonal vegetation growth occurs that includes southern California, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico.
Great Plains
Most areas of the western and central United States regions are remained to be out of growing season in this period. The winter-wheat areas of Oklahoma were in near normal condition in this period. The western Gulf of Mexico storm system generated showers and thunderstorms across southern and eastern Texas. Over western Texas, areas which are in-season for this time period of the year in western Texas remained in near normal conditions whereas few areas showed drier conditions.
Midwest
Most areas of the Midwestern United States are out of growing season.
Northeast
Most areas of the Northeastern United States are out of growing season.
Southeast
Because of the western Gulf of Mexico storm system, areas which are in-season in southern Georgia and adjoining northern Florida were in near-normal condition. However, some areas in southern Florida were drier than normal.
The National Drought Mitigation Center produces VegDRI in collaboration with the US Geological Survey's (USGS) Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS), and the High Plains Regional Climate Center (HPRCC), with sponsorship from the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA). Main researchers working on VegDRI are Dr. Brian Wardlow and Dr. Tsegaye Tadesse at the NDMC, and Jesslyn Brown with the USGS, and Dr. Yingxin Gu with ASRC Research and Technology Solutions, contractor for the USGS at EROS.
VegDRI maps are produced every two weeks and provide regional to sub-county scale information about drought's effects on vegetation. In 2006, VegDRI covered seven states in the Northern Great Plains (CO, KS, MT, NE, ND, SD, and WY). It expanded across eight more states in 2007 to cover the rest of the Great Plains (NM, OK, MO, and TX) and parts of the Upper Midwest (IA, IL, MN, and WI). VegDRI expanded to include the western U.S. in 2008 (WA, ID, OR, UT, CA, AZ, NV). In May 2009 VegDRI began depicting the eastern states as well, covering the entire conterminous 48-state area.
The VegDRI calculations integrate satellite-based observations of vegetation conditions, climate data, and other biophysical information such as land cover/land use type, soil characteristics, and ecological setting. The VegDRI maps that are produced deliver continuous geographic coverage over large areas, and have inherently finer spatial detail (1-km2 resolution) than other commonly available drought indicators such as the U.S. Drought Monitor.